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Windows 10 Lockscreen Rotating Backgrounds

Anonymous
2025-03-21T12:52:59+00:00

This is a problem that just started occuring. I've had the same lockscreen picture and smaller picture in the center for years. Never a problem. Then suddenly it began starting with a sign-in requirement. I was able to stop that, and go back to just a background and small center picture and name at startup.

Now Windows 10 has decided to rotate the background picture. In Lockscreen settings "Picture" is set, with the correct background. Apparently, Windows 10 doesn't care. It uses "Slideshow", although that's not the setting designated. It has the proper small picture in the center, but it's changing the background. Doing a restart after startup got things back to normal, even on startup, which lasted for a couple days. Now it's using slideshow again, even on restart, as well as using it on initial startup. I can't get it to stop.

I know this isn't the end of the world, but I don't like something that's not working as it should. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-22T06:50:35+00:00

    Hello, George Flach

    Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

    Thank you for your feedback here, it seems that there is an anomaly in your lock screen background.

    In order to help you better, can I ask you what the abnormal background situation you mentioned such as rotation looks like, if it's convenient for you, can you take a screenshot or photo to point it out, I'll check it out for you.

    For now, you can prioritize resetting the background file function.

    You can try to fix this issue by

    1. Tap Start - Settings - Privacy - Background apps - Allow apps to run in the background toggle on.
    2. Tap Start-Settings-Personalization - Lock screen interface - Background: select picture.
    3. Open Notepad and copy the following commands into it ::Reset Windows Spotlight DEL /F /S /Q /A "%USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy/LocalState/Assets" DEL /F /S /Q /A "%USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy/Settings" ::Re-register Windows Spotlight PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage ContentDeliveryManager).InstallLocation + 'AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"

    Then choose Save as fix.bat

    1. Right click on fix.bat and run it as administrator.

    This will reset the focus cache and redeploy the focus program.

    1. After executing. Tap Start - Settings - Personalization - Lock screen interface - Background: Windows Focus

    Then wait for Focus to download the cache file and reboot to see if the problem is gone.

    Best regards

    Bobhe | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-23T14:11:51+00:00

    I tried to find the command you mentioned as Step 1, but under Privacy there is no setting that says to allow apps to run in the background.

    Under Personalization I still see that the correct picture is set to be the background, but it was continuing to rotate the pictures. I guess it's operating under "Slide Show", but the setting is on "Picture". So that shouldn't be happening. And as I said, until a few days ago I never had this problem.

    So I changed the picture, and then changed it back. I left the setting on "Picture". So far, since doing that, the correct background picture is being used every time I start up. I'm hoping I don't have to make any further changes.

    Just as an aside, I've seen the list of options under the box where I have "Picture" as the setting. I was only seeing two option in the drop down menu. "Picture", and "Slideshow". Just two, when everything I read referred to four options, including "Windows Spotlight" and "Solid Color". Suddenly, after switching pictures back and forth, I am now seeing all four options being available. I have no idea what caused two of them to not show up before. So maybe the problem was there all along.

    So thankfully I didn't have to go through all your steps (yet)! But I'm grateful for your help. Thanks so much for your kind patience. God bless you!

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